


Deception

by UnderscoreMax



Series: Angstober [21]
Category: World of Warcraft
Genre: Angst, Drinking, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Presumed Dead, Reunions, Sad with a Happy Ending, hes sad but its alright
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-21
Updated: 2020-11-21
Packaged: 2021-03-09 20:09:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 675
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27661832
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/UnderscoreMax/pseuds/UnderscoreMax
Summary: Shaw's dead.He's dead?That can't be right.
Relationships: Flynn Fairwind/Mathias Shaw
Series: Angstober [21]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1946554
Comments: 8
Kudos: 49





	Deception

He was dead.

He was dead?

That couldn’t be right.

Shaw, he- he couldn’t be dead.

Not yet.

Not so soon.

Flynn felt his knees go weak when the messenger told him. He’d just nodded at the blue and gold plated woman. She at least looked upset, but it didn’t change the news Flynn had heard. What was written on the letter, in flowy, trying-so-hard-not-to-shake handwriting, signed by King Anduin Wrynn himself. 

Flynn sat in the little house, alone for hours. Days? He didn’t know. He slept on the couch. The bed that Shaw had once complained about being too small, it was far too big, far too empty, now.

Again and again, he read over the letter, water stains skewing the writing. Missing, presumed dead. He died a hero. Flynn didn’t want a hero, he needed Shaw to come back. He needed to see the redhead groggily sipping coffee that was too strong for any mortal man. He needed to drape a blanket over his shoulders when the wind blew in from the sea, chilling the house, making Mathias shiver where he worked on reports. He needed to come home, dropping the satchel of papers on his desk, curling up in Flynn’s lap and stealing kisses like a cat. Shaw needed to come home.

Maybe a hero’s death was wished for by warriors, but a domestic life was so much better

.

.

The city was loud. It was far too loud for Flynn’s half-hungover ears. He had half a mind to just close the doors, keep everything out, maybe find some earplugs. 

Sighing, Flynn stood, squeezing his eyes shut as the world around him somehow got dark and too bright at the same time. With a cautious peer outside, he walked out the door, heading towards the noise. If he was already out there, might as well see what’s got the entire city riled up.

Three ships were docked in the harbour, the fronts coated in metal thick enough to break up ice. Northrend ships. Flynn’s heart jumped, and his stomach sank, a confusing mix of sadness and a hope that maybe, maybe Shaw wasn’t really dead.

A good number of Alliance soldiers were off the boats, many covered in bandages. Flynn tried to keep his mind steady, keeping his eyes open but not letting his hopes up. He couldn’t afford to get his hopes up. 

Flynn stayed to the edges of the crowd, trying not to get lost in the mess around the docks. He smiled at the sight of people finding their others. A night elf threw herself at her younger brother, scolding him when she pulled back. He watched a Paladin and a Death Knight walking side by side, bumping shoulders, laughing when their plated shoulders just ricocheted off each other. 

It was a nice sight, even with the swirling in his chest.

“Flynn?”

It was tentative, like they weren’t sure they could believe it. He turned, seeing Shaw for the first time in far too long. 

“Oh,” his voice was breathy, his eyes darting over where Shaw’s armour had been damaged. His pauldrons were missing, and the rest of his clothes were victim of too much cold and too much friction, bits falling off and going threadbare.

He’d never looked so nice.

“Mattie?” 

Shaw made a few steps forward, and Flynn remembered to breathe, unsticking his feet from the wooden planks.

Shaw nearly crashed into Flynn, tucking his head into Flynn's chest, his arms wrapping around tightly. Flynn held on just as tightly, one hand on the back of Mathias' head. 

"You're safe." Flynn's tone was full of wonderment, through the quietness of it, "They said you- that you had-" his voice shook, quieting into a whisper, "Mattie."

They pulled back, just enough to be face to face. Hands cradled Mathias' cheeks, brushing back a stray strand of hair. 

"You're ok." He said again, like he couldn't believe it, "You're still here."

Shaw smiled, but couldn't quite hide the watery tone of it, "Can't get rid of me that easily, Captain."


End file.
